


Reign of Blood

by Persephonne



Category: Original Work
Genre: Beta Wanted, F/F, F/M, Lesbian Vampires, London, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-23
Updated: 2018-03-15
Packaged: 2018-04-27 16:33:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5055883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Persephonne/pseuds/Persephonne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vaughn is a vampire who is part of the vampiric royal family in London, having been transformed by the King of vampire Court. But he tries to live a normal life, staying away from the Court and denying his vampire side. But when the King dies, and the next in line to the throne turns out to be Vaughn himself, he is forced to re-enter a world of betrayals, conspiracies and doubt to regain his dignity and try to accept himself as what he is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Vampires. For hundreds of years, they’ve loved us. They’ve written books, made movies, TV shows, video games, you name it. Each one with a different version of the basic idea of a half dead person who drains other people’s lives. We’ve been demons, genetic freaks, mutants, gods, victims of a virus, seductive, monstrous and fascinating.

What a load of shit.

The truth is we’ve been around for as long as the humans have. And, as it happens with them, our genesis remains being a mystery. No one amongst us knows for certain how we appeared in this world. Are we creatures from the hell below? Or are we just infected with a virus or parasite that got lucky in the evolutionary scale? Are we an entirely different species or just walking corpses who exist thanks to some deep magic?

Like the humans do about us, there are so many theories amongst us that no one really gives a shit about it anymore. At least I don’t.

However, I believe in evolution. The reason there are so many versions of us out there in the media is that they were true at some point in history. Vampires with wings, allergic to silver and garlic, ultrasensitive to the sun, shapeshifters and so many more. In the past they had to evolve into those forms to survive, just like we evolve now to blend in better with the humans, to resemble them.

From the old myths and characteristics all that’s left now is the aversion to sunlight, though no one runs around exploding or turning into ash. No, today some simple sunglasses and sunscreen allow us to come and go as freely as we want during the day. Just don’t expect to see a vampire sporting a tan.

Yes, we have reflections, just like bloody corpses do. Though I’ve known some vampires who can turn into smoke or shadows. But these ones are old, very old. We can eat pizza with lots of garlic without melting, but powerful enough religious symbols can still repel us. Maybe this is a shadow of the Middle Ages. Something to do with trauma. Also, no one walks around sporting wings or turning into their pets, either.

Our bodies are quasi dead, maybe because when we received and drank the vampire blood for the first time we were walking in that fine line between dead and alive, in that one fleeting moment before life leaves our body forever. We are eternally trapped in that moment. That’s why we still have the most basic bodily functions, but just about. We barely have breathing and pulse, that’s why the low body temperature and paleness. For instance, I can still eat a cheeseburger when I’m hungry and feel full. Blood is what my body wants, not what it needs.

Since we’re more alike humans, we’ve reached an evolutionary point where we don’t need blood to survive all that much anymore. For the same reason, we can get killed by the same definitive ways as they can, though we do heal faster if we drink blood. Our fangs became retractable, being controlled at will. That was the best part of our evolution, by the way. When we drink blood for a continuous amount of time we get faster, stronger, with heightened senses and reflexes.

In general, the basic characteristics are still there. We’re immortals, yes, but living forever doesn’t have all the glamour the media makes it look it has. We can’t walk into people’s houses uninvited, that’s a rule that’s always existed and no one ever figured out why it’s like that. And we need blood, life, in order for our bodies to function properly.

Like I said, we don’t need to drink blood to survive anymore. Today the habit of drinking it on a regular basis is reserved to the ones who chose to maintain the old habits. If a vampire wants to keep going around like bloody Super Man, he or she will need to feed with blood every two days at least. If he or she is like me and prefers live a nice normal stress free life, the blood will only be necessary once or twice every couple of weeks or so.

I see these other vampires who are only looking for killing and I’m ashamed. Junkies, that’s what they are. Bloody zombies who think of nothing else than their next prey. We don’t need the blood all that much, but our bodies can get addicted to it. Like a drug. Except it’s the most powerful, addictive and lethal drug there is.

I managed to get rid of that addiction. Sort of. I  still my relapses every now and then, but they’re getting rarer, which is good. Working in a hospital helps. The blood bags are no use because they have no life in them anymore, but I manage when I feel too weak.

Vampires are so arrogant they’ve created something like a government. A bloody monarchy, if you can imagine it. with kings, queens, princes and princesses, territories and even laws, as if that would make us less like the animals we are.

The thrones were given to the older vampires, the elders who constitute the ‘royalty’. See, there is a big difference between being turned by the Vampire King of London and being turned by a leech of a vampire that hunts in alleys at night. That’s why the only possible heirs are second generation vampires, as we call the ones who were turned by a queen or king. Like it happens with any monarchy, when the monarch dies the oldest heir gets the throne. It worked for the French, there’s no reason it shouldn’t work for us.

Of course, I kept my distance from all that. I was a nurse, for fuck’s sake. I saved lives, I didn’t take them. When I felt too weak I could simply look for an unconscious patient and take a vial or two from their blood when no one was watching. I had a good life.

Until I received the news that Blake Storm, the High Vampire King of London, my maker and progenitor, was dead.

And the succession line led straight to my front door.

* * *

 

I was unfortunate enough to be turned at some point of the 1920s, by the King himself. Up until today I dunno why the fuck he chose me. I was a musician in a mediocre band that played on the bars and pubs all across England in exchange for enough money to feed us. I don’t remember the names of my bandmates, but they were all I had. The times were tough. They were my family, my brothers.

I never knew why I was spared. So to speak.

It was a new club. No one knew exactly what went on there, but the rumour was that everything you can imagine and then some happened in this place. Back at the time we just assumed that was booze, dancers and gambling.

I noticed him. He’d been there for the previous gigs, sitting alone at a table at the back of the bar, just watching us. I’m the only one who noticed him, but didn’t mention it to the lads. I thought he just liked the band.

However, during a night when we’d already finished everything and were about to leave the bar, he showed up out of nowhere.

You see, he wasn’t the kind of person we were expecting to find out on the street. For starters, he was black. Sort of. Actually, his skin had the colour of the earth. I mean I knew they were around, but mostly they were serving in hotels, bars or houses working as maids.

But that man clearly worked for no one. Confidence exuded confidence out from every pore of his skin. His brown eyes resembled drops of dried blood. His hair was short and had the colour of coal. The man also tall, with an athletic stance that appeared even through his black overcoat, which made him look like a shadow.

He was so imposing that his mere presence was enough to make us, four grown men, be paralysed with his presence alone. It was almost supernatural, like an aura. Sensing that, he raised his hands in a gesture that should’ve been soothing, but it had the opposite effect. I noticed his hands were big and strong, he’d probably be able to break any of our necks like he’d do to a chicken that was about to be cooked.

 - Don’t be frightened. – His  powerful voice resounded, which didn’t help at all to diminish our impression that he was going to tear us to pieces. - I’ve  come to offer you a job.

It took me a minute to find enough voice to speak. Maybe because I was the only one who’d noticed him before.

\- W-what job? Where? – I realized I must’ve sounded a bit rude and changed my speech. – I mean, sorry, but we don’t even know you.

The man looked at me for a long time, raising an eyebrow and I could even hear my heart slamming my ribs faster. It was the last time I felt that.

At last, he spoke again.

 - The new club. I’m sure you’ve heard of it.

We nodded slowly, still looking at him. Of course we knew. The place didn’t have a name, like it happened with many other pubs in London, but we knew exactly of which one he was talking about.

\- Marvellous. – He said, seeing we knew what he was talking about. – You’ll be able to drink for free there. And you’ll be paid. – The man smiled. He had teeth as white as milk.

\- Well, we’ll need your name. – I spoke suddenly, trying not to stammer too much. He kept smiling.

\- Blake Storm. – The man said and turned around, disappearing in the alley as mysteriously as he’d appeared.

And that’s how my first encounter with Your Majesty Blake Storm, Vampire King of London went.

* * *

 

The club was everything we’d expected it’d be and more. The bar took an entire side of the place and all the drinks I knew and many I didn’t know were exposed on the wall behind it. it took three bartenders to serve everyone, not to mention the waiters. At the centre there was a stage where the girls danced with little or no clothes to the men present. A few meters to the right was the spot for the band, where we were playing without being too noticed by the patrons, but we were still serviced by the waiters and had a good view of the dancers.

The others didn’t noticed it, but I did. Most of the patrons were drinking something from the glasses that was too thick to be wine, but I figured it was just some new posh drink. And these same people were looking at us like we were steaks, though some of the patrons were also looking at the dancers like that.

We never stood a chance. Our set had finished already and we were sitting at a table, drinking, talking and looking at the girls. We were talking about something not important when I felt a huge heavy hand on my shoulder that caused me to jump and look up to see Blake smiling at me.

\- I’m glad to see you’re all having fun. Now if you allow me, come with me to the office so we can discuss your payment.

I was already drunk but nodded, before following Blake to a spacious and well decorated office. I thought it was a bit strange when he locked the door, but something was telling me it was alright while he walked up to me slowly.

\- What’s your name, again? – He asked smoothly, looking at me.

\- Vaughn Shelby Hayden. – I said in an automatic manner, not knowing exactly why I had just given him my full name.

The only thing I remember is seeing Blake approaching me fast as a bullet before I felt his teeth on my vein and my life slipping away.

* * *

 

I woke up the next day with Blake looking at me. I didn’t feel any different, apart from the cold and the hunger.

He explained me everything. Told me I had a new family now, a new way of living, a new body. I had been reborn into an improved version of myself.

He said my friends hadn’t died in vain, because many others of us were now strong again thanks to them. Then he told me I was special and that he had felt that from a mile away. Blake told me about the vampiric reign, that was way older and more powerful than any other that’s ever existed. He told me he was the Vampire King of London and had no heirs, until before he’d turned me.

\- A king needs someone strong to take his place when needed. I’ve spent a long time searching, but now I know I’ve found an heir worthy of the throne. – I decided against reminding him that we’d only known each other for a few hours. Although he’d probably spent quite some time watching me from a distance, anyway.  – You are the crown prince to the throne of London, Vaughn.

At the time, I liked how all that had sounded. It seemed right, like it was something I was destined to. I smiled and Blake held me like a father hugs a son.

\- Welcome to the Court. Come, let us feed you, Vaughn. – He said, slapping my back. I smiled at him, feeling truly important for the first time in my life.

* * *

 

So, that’s my origin story. I haven’t even remembered that for a long time. I’m a nurse, for fuck’s sake. I lead a normal life. But I felt it when it happened. Even before the two figures dressed all in black had knocked on my door I already knew what had happened.

They looked at me and I sighed. They called me Your Majesty, which made me laugh. I asked them what had happened, for I knew Blake was very old and very powerful. Only someone older would be able to kill him. And they said it. A fight with the king of Essex, who wants to increase his power. Apparently it was a fair fight, and everyone thought that Romulus Cole now had two of the main cities in England in his hands since there was no one to inherit the throne.

Until someone remembered me.

 


	2. 2

\- How are you today, Mrs Kensington?

\- Oh I’m better, thanks, lad.

I smiled and checked her diabetes pills before moving to the other bed to check up on a coma patient.

Their doctor, Doctor Collins, usually trusted me to check the patients and administer their pills the right way. It was my job, after all. But I dunno why she always chose me. She was nice, though she seemed to have some personal problems. Probably with the boyfriend, or something. Every once in a while I saw her seeming upset.

She showed up next to me, giving me a brief smile before checking the patient. I smiled back, as a courtesy.

Stacie Collins wasn’t ugly. She had long, straight obsidian coloured hair and narrow grey eyes. She was short and thin, though she didn’t exactly had an athletic build, but she wasn’t entirely out of shape either. Her white skin was naturally pale and she had high cheekbones, though her fingers were a bit chubby.

I had never seen her wearing anything other than the hospital uniform. Stacie kept her life to herself, which was a very rare thing for that place that loved a good gossip.

\- What’re you looking at?

Her voice woke me from my musings. I hadn’t realized I’d been staring at her for the past two minutes. If I had a normal, functioning blood stream, I’d have blushed at that moment.

\- Not a thing. – I smiled at her, trying my best to sound normal. – I was just thinking about some things.

\- Whatever it was, it better be patient related. – She said, nearly glaring at me.

\- Someone’s in a bad mood today. – I said, trying to make the mood lighter and failing. – Problems with the boyfriend?

The icy look she shot me with was even more intense because of those steel coloured eyes.

\- Men. Everything’s got to be about you, doesn’t it? Has it ever occurred to you that I might be having other problems that don’t involve some man’s private bits? Has it occurred to you in any moment that this patient, who’s lying on this bed dying, might be my dad?

I looked at her for a moment, still surprised from the outburst, and checked the patient’s file.

\- Well, but he’s not. His last name is Aaronson.  – I said.

Her glare got even worse, as if that was possible, and she turned around to check on another patient. I figured that was a perfect moment for smoke break so I left to get my wallet in the locker room. Women. Who can understand them, really?

While I was in the locker room, I looked at myself in the mirror, unconsciously looking for any line, wrinkle or any other signs of aging, though I knew there would be none. And there weren’t any. There hadn’t been any for the last seventy years.

I kept examining my reflection, sighing. The same jade coloured eyes. The same straight red hair that now was a little above shoulder length, being somewhere between short and shoulder length. The same paper coloured skin, the same skinny body that never changed, no matter how much I worked out (it was during the eighties). I was a photography, a painting. Immutable, forever.

I took my pack of fags and left, putting my sunglasses on to face the sunlight that was way too bright for my eyes while I walked out the back door. Put a cigarette between my lips and lit it, before taking a drag.

A vampire who’s a nurse. I don’t even want to know what the others must think of me. The fact alone that I’m living an average human life is already outrageous for them. Combine the fact that I’m a bloody nurse and the whole thing becomes humiliating, too. Now add the whole deal about me being the crown prince in the mix and I officially become the royal family’s black sheep.

That’s what the two messengers told me last night. Now that my maker, my father, the King is gone, I must embrace his cause for London as my own and challenge Romulus Cole to deserve my new role as the Vampire King of London. They said my recent actions, like leaving the Royal Family and quit drinking blood were despicable and shameful, but I could still redeem myself.

What a bloody joke. I thanked them for bringing the news to me and said I’d consider the proposition. Up until I was forced to give them an answer I’d be able to turn someone and abdicate from the throne, before naming the poor sod as heir. But there is no bloody way I’d be king.

Why would I do something as monumentally stupid as challenge a vampire who’s at least a century older than me, feeds on blood regularly and has been the Vampire King of Essex for fuck knows how long just to have something I don’t even want in the first place? It’d be suicide. Not to mention stupid.

Although, as far as I know, that’s exactly what the ‘Court’ wants it to happen.

 

* * *

 I live alone. It’s always been like this, I prefer it like this. Except during the old days, when I lived with the Court and the most ass kissing vampires kept following me around to see if I needed them to wipe my arse or something. But now I live by myself  in a flat located in London, free of problems.

But I wasn’t always this free. Blake wanted me to be close to him at all times, as if I was trophy. And I loved the attention I received, even though I knew full well that I was a trophy. After all, I’d gone from being a nobody who played the guitar to survive to being a crown prince.

We all lived in a castle. A real castle. I had never even stepped inside one before I was turned. It was big, built with black stones and was close to the coast. It has huge central staircase made of red marble and the place always appeared to be occupied by the resident vampires, like the Family, the chaperones, the maids and the rest of the Court. The only access to the castle was a small road and the only trace of modern society close to it was a small, but well populated town.

Blake and the other vampires in the Court attended to my every whim. If I wanted the blood of a virgin, I’d find a girl wearing a white dress waiting for me in my room the very same night. If I wanted to hunt, Blake would take me to the city so I could choose anyone. He taught me how to glamour people, like he’d done to me on the night he turned me. Taught me how to hunt, how the way the human was feeling when I fed on them affected the taste of his her blood, how to deal with my newly found powers.

Blake also started teaching me about my future role as a King. All the political issues, the tricks, when to be and when to not be honest. How to earn respect amongst the other vampires so I wouldn’t end suffering a coup d’état.

The first person he tortured in front of me was a vampire. They were the usual victims, the need to torture a human was rare. The vampire who was incarcerated was a young one, and he’d broken the discretion law, that states we can’t reveal ourselves to a large number of humans at the same time. This one vampire had fed practically in public, causing chaos amongst the other humans present at the scene. We had to glamour a crowd so they’d forget about the whole thing, not to mention get rid of the bodies, but the story remained as a local legend.

My father chained the vampire in one of the castle’s basements and tore off his fangs with pliers, making me watch the whole thing. When they grew back a month later, considering the vampire was being kept alive only with bread and water, without any blood, Blake made me do the dental act all over again, just like he’d done before.

I remember that was the first time I thought that all of that was maybe a tad bit unnecessary. I remember the look of the offending vampire gave me right before I hesitated. The look of hope. But Blake was there watching me and I knew that was a test of moral strength. What kind of king would I be if I showed compassion to vampires who broke the law? And I thought, the rules are older than any one of us, they must be like that for a good reason.

So I did what I was supposed to do and tore off the kid’s fangs, though I wasn’t enjoying the moment as much as I should have. The screams didn’t make me feel as powerful like Blake wanted me to feel.

Later, after I had finished with that, my father smiled at me, offering me a young redhead as he spoke:

\- Every day you show me you’re more and more fitting to the throne, Vaughn.

I smiled back at him, but I wasn’t sure if it that was as good as everyone wanted to appear to be.

* * *

 I was hungry. And it wasn’t hunger for crackers and tea, but that visceral hunger that made me curl up from pain and wish I’d die. Or kill.

I was home already, after my shift that was usually the night one.  During the day I just sleep, but now it was almost noon and I wanted blood. Even though I wasn’t feeling weak yet.

I couldn’t go to the hospital and do what I always did, that was take some blood from a few patients and drink it. Doing that at night or before dawn was easy, but doing it during the day was a whole different story.

No. I took a deep breath, ate a big lunch and forced myself to sleep again.

* * *

When I got to the hospital to see if I could find a blood bag that was stored for transfusion or any other thing that could quench my thirst, I knew there was something wrong.

Trying to sleep did no good at all. All I could think of was drinking blood; finding someone, sinking my fangs into their neck and drain them. In an attempt of easing this feeling, I decided to go for the transfusion bags. But they work as well as drinking water when you’re hungry works. There’s no more life in them, that magical electrical impulse there is in a pulsing vein was gone. But they were a temporary fix. 

The plan was to go in and out, unnoticed, until I noticed how the ER abnormally full. There were five injured people from a bar fight that had happened minutes ago. All of them had had their blood drained completely, and their necks had been practically tore open.

I felt myself shivering. If was from fear or hate, I didn’t know. Those disgusting bloodsuckers were breaking the discretion law in broad daylight, as if they were a pack of wild animals. Blake would never have accepted that. But, Blake wasn’t there anymore to accept or reject anything.

\- In the old days, no one would dare to do anything like this. – I turned around when I heard the voice, looking at the vampire standing behind me. The bastard knew what I was feeling. For fuck’s sake, he was the one responsible for all of that.

\- What old days? – I asked, even though I already knew what he was talking about.

\- Your father’s, of course. – He smiled.  – With him dead, you playing human and Cole too busy with almost gaining the London crown to care about the rest, it’s only natural that the laws are ignored.

I sighed, watching the men while the doctors tried to save them.

\- I won’t be a part of this.

\- You were trained for this. – The vampire behind me hissed.

Part of me wanted to believe that all I had to do was to simply say yes, assume the throne and then everything would be okay. But I knew those vampires all too well. That attack had been way too well synchronized. That could’ve been planned by them on purpose as a way to force me to accept the crown. But no.

I looked at the patients and saw Stacie tubing one of them quickly. I changed into an uniform and went over there to help, receiving a surprised look from the doctor, but she didn’t refuse my assistance. When I looked back, I saw the vampire was already gone.

No. if that helped me realize anything, was that I didn’t need blood all that urgently.

* * *

 - Why did you go there to help me? It wasn’t even your shift. – Stacie asked me after we finished helping the patients. We were able to save three, but the other two died from the lack of blood.

\- I was there and you needed help.  -  I shrugged.

\- Well, thanks. – She smiled at me and I gave a brief smile back, not wanting to take too long in that place. If I focused a bit more I’d be able to feel her jugular vein pulsating from the distance I was from her.

\- No problem. – I said, about to turn around to leave. – Well, I better go, then. I just came here to pick something up from my locker.

\- It’s way past lunch time, but do you want to get something to eat? – She asked all the sudden and I raised an eyebrow at her. Stacie must’ve noticed my surprised, cause she added – It’s just an ‘end of shift’ late lunch. It’s more of a cuppa than anything, really. You’re my nurse with almost all of my patients, we can’t keep acting like we don’t know each other.

\- Yeah. – I said, smiling. Or trying to smile. – Late lunch sounds great.

While I followed her to the coffee shop I could only hope Stacie wouldn’t end up _being_ my lunch.


	3. 3

The first time I killed a person was an experience I won’t forget so soon.

It happened shortly after I was turned. Blake wanted me to know right from the start what it was like to hunt, so I could get used to it.

So, for three weeks he kept me from drinking blood. Even me, as I am now, nearly  free from the addiction, couldn’t handle that long without a drop of blood; so imagine how a young, thirsty and completely addicted vampire held under these circumstances, feeding only twice a day.

I was too weak so I didn’t think I would even be able to run after my prey when the time came. After all, the more blood we drink, the faster and stronger we get. But Blake just gave me a tap on the back that nearly made me fall over and introduced me to my dinner.

It was a girl, maybe a beggar. She had dark hair and wore a grey dress. And she was utterly terrified. They had locked her up in a cage.

The moment I saw her, I knew the lack of fresh blood in my system wouldn’t be a problem. The thirst, the craving for blood won out. I think she must’ve seen the change in my expression, because she started screaming and asking to be released.

And they granted her wish. She was released on the woods, so I wouldn’t risk being seen by someone from the city. I was still young, after all.

It all happened so fast. She ran as quickly as she could, but to me she might as well be still and it wouldn’t make a difference. I ran faster than I’ve ever ran before and it was so easy it was almost dull.

Within seconds I had her trapped under me, on top of the grass. My instincts controlled the situation. I wasn’t a man anymore, I was a predator. My fangs have been showing for a long time and her skin showed little resistance to my razor sharp teeth.

I remember feeling her blood flowing into my mouth and throat, feeding me. It was the best and most powerful feeling I had ever felt. I felt like I could do anything, be anyone I wanted.

I moved away from her when I was full  and slowly went back to being myself, as I looked at the now lifeless body of the girl whose eyes were still open.

I didn’t have much time to feel any remorse. Blake was already standing in front of me as I got up, wrapping his arms around me in an embrace. He was proud of me, proud of how I’d done.

Soon, the satisfaction for having made Blake proud became more important than the guilt over the fact that I had just taken a life. And that happened every time I hunted.

* * *

 

\- Don’t you agree?

Stacie’s voice pulled me out of my involuntary flashback. She looked at me as if she was expecting me to say something clever and amazing.

\- I think that… I dunno what you’re talking about.

She impatiently rolled her eyes and I felt guilty for paying more attention to the vein on her neck than on what she was saying.

\- I was talking about how we should get to know each other better, considering we see each other every bloody day.

\- Yea. – I agreed, though I didn’t think it was a good idea to become friends with pretty girls. – Of course. I was planning on asking you out for lunch one of these days, anyway.

\- And why haven’t you? – She asked as he raised an eyebrow and gave me one of those smiles. I gulped.

\- Well, you know what our life’s like. No time for rest, with the hospital rush and everything. Besides, I’m just a nurse and you’re a doctor. It wouldn’t paint you a good picture.

\- That’s very unlikely. – She laughed softly, and I smiled. Surely having a human woman as a friend wouldn’t be completely impossible, right? – But you’re right, our time here is rushed. But Vaughn, we’ve been working together for so long and I barely even know your full name. I don’t know if you if you live with your parents or by yourself, if you have a girlfriend, if you like working here… - She said and I chuckled, before wetting my lips.

\- Well, I live alone. And I like working here, I’ve always wanted to work in the medical area. – Which was true. But that’s another story. I thought it was better to divert from  the girlfriend question.

\- Why be a nurse, then? – She asked me and I shrugged.

\- I like helping people. But I think I can help them more by being a nurse than I would by being a doctor.  – Not to mention that no one would miss a nurse who’d suddenly disappear from the hospital and never came back. Also, no one would notice the fact that said nurse doesn’t appear to age. But I didn’t mention that. I didn’t think she’d consider these facts as valid.

\- You may be right.  – She smiled at me and I bit my lip. I was receiving a lot of mixed signals from her and I didn’t know how to interpret them. Was she just having a casual conversation with me? Did she want to shag me? I didn’t know, so I decided to change the subject.

\- But I didn’t expect to actually see people dying. – I told her. – I mean, I knew this kind of thing happens all the time, but we never really get used to seeing this, right?  - Now, as for getting used to killing people…

 - I know, I was scared shitless of my first death when I was new – She told me. – We never get used to seeing things like that.  And the worst part is all the bizarre shit.  Like those blokes with the punctures on their necks, that appeared earlier today.

\- Yea, it’s really nasty. – I said, as I ate my sandwich. – The things that happen during bar fights, lately…

\- Do you really think that’s what happened? – She asked with a frown. I just shrugged.

\- What else could it be?

\- I dunno. – She said, sounding unsure. But I knew of what she was suspecting. – They’ve been drained from their blood. And they only had two puncture marks on their necks, nothing more. Even if someone had slit their throats and hung them upside down, it’d take days until their blood was drained so completely. But they were drained in a matter of minutes.

\- So? – I shrugged again, trying to look unconcerned. – Leave it to the M.E.  to find out what caused it. We just have to keep them alive.

\- You’re right. – She smiled and chuckled. – This is London, people get attacked in the freakiest ways.

\- Exactly. – I smiled, right when my pager beeped. Excellent timing. – Well, I need to go take this. – I got up, leaving my meal already paid. Stacie smiled at me, though I could still see the worry in her eyes. – See you around?

\- We share nearly all of our patients. – She chuckled. – I don’t even know how my pager didn’t beep as well.

I laughed and went back to the hospital, sighing when I was out of Stacie’s sight. I just hope she’s not my ruin.

* * *

 

It was almost dawn, so my hospital shift was over. I was pretty much knackered, cause after my lunch/snack with Stacie I almost didn’t have any time to do anything. During the night was when the hospital got more packed, cause it was the crimes happened the most. This was the life working at a hospital, you never stop, you never have time for yourself. You’re not entitled to have a social life, because you end up being limited to having 12 hour shifts, so your day becomes a never ending cycle where all you do is work, eat and sleep.  Which was quite prefect for someone like myself.

I was tired, hungry and sleepy when I clocked in and changed into regular clothes so I could leave. My bed and maybe a pizza were waiting for me at home and at that moment they were my main goals. This is the life for me. No yearning or thirst for blood, just sleeping and working. People complain that work turns them into robots, but that was more than enough for me.

I left the hospital from the back door as usual, lighting a cigarette and putting my sunglasses on to protect my eyes from the sunlight that would soon appear with the sunrise. I was thinking of my mattress, when I heard a familiar voice.

\- You can’t do this to me.

It was Stacie. But she wasn’t talking to me. She and another woman under the stairs, arguing quietly. Stacie appeared to be crying.

\- Of course I can. -  The other woman said. I peeked a little and saw it was Dr Blackburn, chief of the ER. She’s always scared me a bit. She resembled a human statue, with her squinted grey eyes  that reminded me of windows that showed a rainy sky and thick back wavy hair. She was tall, had a voluptuous body and white skin. Her forehead was a bit too high and her thin lips complemented the statuesque vibe. Either way, you’d expect to see that woman on the cover of a magazine, not in a hospital wearing a white jacket.

\- But Jenna… you’re really leaving? Just like that? – Stacie asked in a whimper and then spoke more quietly. – What about us?

I heard doctor Blackburn laughing. It sounded almost cruel.

\- I can’t stay in a public hospital forever. I received a good proposition and I’m going to take it. The salary is way better. – She said. – And Stacie, don’t kid yourself about you and me. You and I both knew we were just passing the time. You’re nice and all, but… I’m not a dyke.

I arched an eyebrow as I listened to them. _What?_

\- No… - Stacie said, really sounding weepy. – You’re an ambitious heartless bitch who makes people fall for you only to later step all over them later for pleasure. – She said, a little louder this time.

\- If anyone heard this – Jenna said, slowly. – you can say goodbye to your career. And you can forget about me helping you with your debt.

I heard Stacie snuffling and saying:

\- I don’t need you. – Before she moved away, going up the stairs. I realized I was standing there in plain sight and got back in the hospital, moments before Stacie also did. She looked at me with a curious expression.

\- Were you listening to that? – She asked and I thought for a moment before I nodded. She did the same. – Great. – She said in a satisfied tone and walked away.

I stood there for a few more seconds before opening the door and run into doctor Blackburn.

\- Doctor. – I greeted, but received no response while she walked past me as if I wasn’t there.

The only thing that went through my mind then was that Stacie was better off without her.


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, same as always, reviews are welcomed :)

I was sleeping when someone started furiously knocking on my door. I cussed and dragged myself on the bed to the nearest clock to check the time. Seven in the morning. I cussed again and got up, going over to answer the door only to meet Stacie there.

\- How did you…  - I asked in my state of confusion, but she cut me off.

\- I checked your registry in the hospital. – She spoke quickly. – It has your address.  Can I come in?

\- Sure. – I said, but rolling my eyes while I gave her space. – And you’re here because…?

\- We’re friends now. – She said, all cheery. – Right? Plus, you now know about my secret.

I rolled my eyes again. That was becoming an habit when I was near her. Doctors, they’re all egomaniacs.

\- I won’t tell anyone that you’re a lesbian. – I told her, before yawning.

\- I’m not one. – She spoke quickly and I raised an eyebrow, looking at her. – I’m a former lesbian.

\- There’s no such thing as that. – I chuckled, shaking my head. Now that was comical. – What’s the big secret, then?

\- My relationship with Jenna. – She spoke seriously. – She was right in one thing, she can sink my career if she so wishes.

\- You woke me up at seven in the bloody morning just to tell me that? – I asked and she shrugged again. – Alright. Then explain to me how does one get to be a former lesbian.

The moment the words left my mouth I knew I had made the wrong move. Stacie gave me a weird look and smiled, like a predator. A part of my mind made a mental note that she would make a great vampire. I did not like that at all.

\- Guess, genius. – She said and started walking toward me slowly which made me walk back until I reached the couch and fall on top of it, laying down. She used the situation to straddle me and kiss me, which was both weird and uncomfortable in a number of different ways.

First of all, I had just woken up, and sleep was s very important part of my daily routine, Second of all, I had just found out she was gay, but yet there she was trying to sexually abuse me. And third, after a few seconds all I could feel was her pulse, with my eyes fixed on Stacie’s carotid vein. It’s been so long, and she smelled so good…

My fangs were out without me noticing it, while I grabbed Stacie’s arms using a good portion of my strength and kissed her back hard, moaning softly while I felt that intoxicating human heat.

Suddenly, a scream awoke me from my trance. Stacie jumped off the couch, a hand covering her mouth and the other pointing at me. I looked at the reflex on the window that was near the couch, and I saw that the damage was done. My fangs were showing, and my eyes were completely black.

\- Oh my God, it’s true.  – She whispered as he looked at me. I closed my eyes and  did my best to calm myself, pulling back my fangs while my eyes returned to their original green colour. If my heart could function at its full capacity it would have been thumping like crazy by then.  – That’s why you’re so cold! Oh my God, and those people…. They were…

\- Killed by vampires, I know. -  I sighed, still trying to calm myself. Although she seemed to be reacting fine to all that.

\- Were you going to kill me? – Stacie asked me, her black hair all mussed already.

\- No. At least not on purpose. – I said, trying to fix the situation. – Look, it doesn’t work like that. I’m a… former vampire.

\- There’s no such thing as that. – She shot back and I raised an eyebrow at her.

\- There’s no such thing as former lesbians, either.

She looked like she was gonna try to defend herself, but then seemed to give up. I would’ve given up too if I were her.

\- Was it that obvious that I wasn’t in the mood? – Stacie asked at last, looking a bit defeated. I nodded.

\- I only got so altered because I haven’t had any direct contact so… intense for a… very long time.

\- So you don’t have sex? – She asked with a chuckle and I felt a little offended, though I knew how much that was pathetic.  – Ever?

\- Well, not _ever._ Just… rarely. – I said. – Hey, it’s either that or me going out there and starting to kill people.

She turned serious, looking at me. Yea. Not so funny now, is it?

\- So it’s really true… you’re pissing about…. – She spoke quietly.

\- No, I’m not. If you want to check my pulse….

I had told that as an attempt of lighting the mood, but she got closer to me and took my hand (which wasn’t entirely safe, considering my hormones were still all lit up) and felt my pulse, before looking at me.

\- There’s barely anything… - She murmured. – It’s so weak…

\- I know. – I sighed, before walking up to the door to open it. – Now, If you don’t mind…

Stacie was looking at me like I had three heads, while I walked up to the door. I didn’t want to be rude, sending her away like that, but I wasn’t about to risk being near her when all my instincts were telling me to jump at her throat.

I called her while she was leaving, and she looked back at me.

\- Don’t mention this to anyone, or I’ll be forced to kill you. – I said with a smile and she nodded quickly, clearly scared. Scaring people still amused me.

I closed the door and locked it, before going back to my bedroom and force myself to go back to sleep.

 

* * *

 

With that, I knew it was time to pack my bags and disappear, as quickly as possible. It was what I always did. When someone found out or if I ended up killing someone, or after I’ve been on the same place for nine years, it was time to move away. It’s always been like that and it’s always worked to keep me alive, ever since I decided to leave the Family.

It was at a royal dinner where I started seeing things as they really are. Me, Blake, the queen regent of the time (they were replaced every decade. Blake was a bit superficial and got easily bored), were there, along with a few more members of the court that kept kissing my arse and judging me. It even seemed like we were in a 18th century French court. And I know the current vampire court is tough.

Either way, the dinner was going well, I was talking to one of the duchesses of the northern realms and seizing my chances of ending that night with her in my royal suite, when the general conversation changed to one about professions. Vampires have led double lives since the beginning of times, mainly the vampires who were in courts. The difference between them and the proletariat is that while the vampires of the court were older, and because of that they had much more successful careers, the proletariat was young and had to survive though more ordinary jobs. For example, Blake owned one of the biggest loan firms in London, and on top of that was one of the most powerful gangsters in the area.

Well, calling it ‘gangster’ makes the whole thing sound awfully cinematographic. Let’s just say that Blake was powerful in both the vampire and human worlds alike and that his business weren’t always entirely clean.

Going back to the story, we started talking about our pre-transformation lives. Blake had been a slave, but after he’d been turned and realized what he could do as a vampire, he killed his masters and turned the other slaves, becoming their leader. He never revealed when exactly that happened. As far as I know, it could’ve been back at the great navigations as much as it could’ve been in the ancient Egypt.

Everyone was talking about their pas human lives, their past plans, until Blake looked at me, his eyes as hard as rocks.

\- What about you, Vaughn?

\- What about me what?

\- What’d you want to do? I’m sure the main goal you had in your life wasn’t to be a musician in a decadent band. – he laughed and I felt the first sting of hurt and guilt. I thought of my bandmates, who had died because of me, even though that had been vaguely fifty years before the time Blake asked me that. And at that moment, I was angry at him, for having spoken of that life so condescendingly. But I managed to smile.

\- Well, I didn’t have much choice at that time.

\- But you must’ve had plans, no? Ambitions?

I remember I mused for a moment, before deciding to speak the truth. Big mistake.

\- I’ve always wanted to be a doctor.

The entire hall was filled by a wave of laughter. The type of laughter that spoke ‘look how silly he is’. I was still young, so I was embarrassed, especially when Blake laughed. Then he placed a hand over my shoulder, telling me:

\- Tomorrow I’ll arrange that you meet the court doctor.

And that got me excited at the time, because the image I had in my mind was of a vampire dressed in white who stitched up the vampires who got wounded in battle, him being the real hero. Besides, Blake hadn’t taken my desire to be a doctor as something irrelevant, like the other had. And that truly meant something to me.

So I offered Blake a truly thankful smile, while once again I forgot about the pang of anger, hurt and guilt that had crossed my mind moments before. That’s the effect the King had on people. You had no other option but to love him, even if he took everything from you.

* * *

 

The next day, I spent the entire day excited about my father’s promise, waiting for him to show up and lead the way for me to meet the Royal doctor.

I hadn’t thought of my long gone desire of being a doctor for a long time, but at that moment it seemed like it was the most important thing for me. And having Blake Storm, my sire, encouraging my wish meant everything to me. I lived to impress him, after all.

Being a doctor, helping people, being a hero. It always seemed glorious to me, but back when I was still human it was difficult for someone like me to go to medical school. I had been in that band to survive, after all. Not for my artistic traits, but so I’d have enough money to eat.

But with Blake helping me, I could be the Court’s doctor. That got me way more excited than the idea of being king did. I could be the one who truly helped my people, the vampires. I’d finally be a hero, even it was an undead hero.

Blake called me and I knew it was time. I was so excited, it was like my destiny was waiting for me. I made my way to the main hall, where the stairs were, and followed Blake to the lower floors, the dungeons. That alone should’ve served as the first warning.

I followed him to the wider dungeons, where a vampire was waiting for us with a surgical mask and some tools that I did not recognize in his hands. When he saw us he bowed, before Blake raised a hand.

\- Vaughn wants to know your work.  – He said and the doctor nodded quickly. He must’ve thought that was an inspection.

\- Yes, your majesties. – he said, making another bow before calling me to one of the stretchers. – Well, this is where we take care of people, fix them.

\- I walked up to the stretcher and felt all of my excitement draining when I saw a human there, tied to the stretcher and receiving blood and saline.

\- He’s human.  – I told the doctor, in disbelief. He made a face like he wanted to laugh, but I think he remembered who I was and gave up.

\- Yes, My Lord. – He said, now sounding confused.

\- But… I thought you took care of the wounded vampires.

\- Well, I do, but only the extreme cases. I haven’t had a vampire down here for years.

I looked at him, shocked and not understanding anything, until I felt a heavy hand on my shoulder.

\- The Royal doctor is only here to keep the humans we maintain in captivity alive, Vaughn.  – Blake explained and I looked at him, unbelieving.

\- Captivity. What about the others? The ones we keep as pets?

\- Well, they’re looked after by their owners. Where did you think the blood you drink every night came from, kid? – Blake laughed and I felt that uncontrollable rage again, the hurt of having been tricked and lied to for so long.

\- So you’ve brought me here for this? – I hissed, feeling the hate as strong and hot in my veins as the blood. – To prove to me how much we can hurt people, and in exchange of what? Run fast? See in the dark?

\- When a vampire is seriously injured, he just needs to drink enough blood and he’ll heal quickly. When that happens, he’ll find the necessary blood here. – Blake explained and I felt dizzy. He had never encouraged me; he just wanted me to see how much the doctor is superfluous.

Blake grabbed my arm and dragged me away from the dungeon, where no one would be able to hear us.

\- You will be King, Vaughn. I chose you with that purpose. Are you really going to betray me now and start acting like some… human? – There was as much threat in his voice as there was hurt. The first time he manipulated me.

I hated disappointing him, but that was too much. The lies, gossips, plans, betrayals, illusions. That was when I saw the vampires not as superior creatures, but as they – us, really are: ordinary addicts.

\- Then I’ll renounce. – I said, looking at my creator and trying to not let what I was feeling show through my face. – Find another heir, because I won’t be part of this horror show anymore.

\- And you’ll live how? Like a common vampire who lives on trash? Or worse, like a _human_? – Blake growled, mockery in every syllable. I shrugged and lifted my chin.

\- Maybe. Maybe I’ll stop drinking blood.

He laughed and I gave a step back before he charged against me and grabbed my neck, lifting me a foot above the ground while he crushed my windpipe.  He looked at me and pushed me against the wall, my head hitting against a rock while he did so. I almost blacked out at that time, while I tried to breathe with my head spinning.

I thought he was going to kill me, and at that moment I felt fear and hurt. But not for long, for I knew that death held no surprises for me. I’d seen the other side all those years before, when I became what I am now. I’ve accepted my fate, and I even thought it was right, that Blake was the one who’d kill me for real.

And then I fell on the floor, gasping for air while I rubbed my neck. Blake had his back facing me while he stood. When he spoke, I could sense the pain he was feeling.

\- I want you out of the castle by dawn. You will be forever in disgrace amongst the Court and will no longer have the right to the throne. As of now, you’re a commoner. 

I got up slowly, looking at him and thinking of what I could say. But there was nothing. Instead, he started speaking again.

\- If you think that by being away from the family you won’t be a killer anymore, you’ll be sorely mistaken.

\- No. – I said, more out of spite than anything. – I’ll stop drinking blood, you’ll see.

\- And then what? – He asked, looking back at me. – You’ll live like a human? Be a doctor? Help people? – There was venom in his voice and I tried not to let it affect me.

\- Maybe. It’s better than being a murderer.

\- It’s too late for you, kid. – He said and disappeared into the shadows without saying another word.

I left soon after that, only carrying the clothes I was wearing and the small amount of money I had in store. I haven’t gone back to the castle since and I’ve never looked back.

But that didn’t stop me from missing the one who’d turned me into who I am today.


	5. 5

I woke up from the phone ringing. It was two o’clock in the afternoon and I hadn’t gone to the hospital the day before. I had stayed home to pack my bags and pick my next location now that I had been found out. I’d go to Glasgow.

I ignored the phone, but it wouldn’t stop ringing. I cussed and dragged myself over the bed enough to reach the offending object and pick up.

\- This better be good.

\- There’s been another attack. – Stacie. She sounded scared. – Two blokes and a girl, in a hotel. One of the blokes didn’t make it and the girl’s almost gone. And… there’s another bloke.

\- What other bloke? – I asked, not connecting the facts.

\- A shady one. The coppers thought he did it, so they’ve shot him. He was cold skin and barely has a pulse.

Ah, shit. For a moment I tried to run thought my head all the implications that’d have.

\- Well, what do you want me to do? – I asked Stacie.

\- Get down here and help me figure out what the bloody hell is going on. – She sounded desperate, like at the time I heard her and Jenna talking. That didn’t sound good.

\- Alright. – I said as I got up. – I’ll be there in ten.

 

* * *

 

It was the middle of the afternoon. What the hell were those wankers thinking they’d get by attacking people in broad daylight? There is a reason why most crimes happen at night. And out of everyone, vampires were the ones who should keep the _most_ nocturnal habits.

Unless they were intentionally showing off.

I raced back to the hospital, without even bothering to put on my scrubs. It was complete chaos in there, with policemen, relatives, patients, doctors on call and people yelling or crying. I asked a nurse where Stacie was and she pointed to a room. When I got in there and saw the victims I knew exactly what had happened.

\- Good thing you’re here, the place is chaotic. – Stacie said, but I ignored her and went to check up one of them, the girl. But as soon as I got close to the bed her pulse spiked for a second and then there was no pulse. Stacie hurried to get the defibrillator, but I stopped her.

\- No, don’t try anything. We lost her ever before she got to the hospital.

\- Oh my God, now there’s only that… thing in the other room. – Stacie said, but I told her to be quiet while I got closer to examine the girl. She was… normal looking. Dark hair, pretty, she was absolutely average. She wasn’t some important personality, or a state chief or a super businesswoman. Except she wasn’t dead.

\- They weren’t killed, they were turned. – I said, feeling the blood that didn’t run through my veins boil. There were so many broken laws in what happened that the vampire responsible for that wouldn’t live to see the next moonlight. – Where is him? – I hissed.

\- In the other room, but the coppers are all over him. – Stacie spoke, sounding scared.

\- Take me to him.

She led me there, where two policemen were guarding a vampire I didn’t know. Stacie managed to get them out of there with some excuse about how we had to run some tests and came back to the room with the comatose vampire.

\- You bloody moron. – I told him while I looked at him, even though he couldn’t hear me. – I should rip your heart out over this.

\- What? – Stacie hissed while she looked at me, but I ignored her.

\- Give him a blood transfusion. It’ll wake him up. And then I’ll take care of him.

\- You’re going to kill him. – She said in an offended tone and I looked at her.

\- He’s not human. This is _my_ jurisdiction now. If you want to be useful, be at the morgue at nightfall. Those three will wake up. Tell that as of now, they’re not humans anymore.

She looked ever more offended look and I rolled my eyes while she began babbling.

\- Absolutely not! You go down there and do it, I’ll stay here and do my job, that doesn’t involve watching corpses. All of this is mental, you’re psychotic.

I shook my head in frustration, before walking up to her.

\- Damn it, woman! You’re doing as you’re told and I’ll do my job here. This is more important than any case you’ve ever had. – I took a deep breath, while she watched me. – Okay. When’s nightfall?

\- In three hours, maybe less.

\- Okay. – I looked at her as I tried to think. – If you really want to help, you’ll do exactly as I tell you. You’ll forget all the medical experience you have. I can’t do this alone and I’ve got no time. So, will you help me or not?

Stacie looked at me as if I’d gotten insane, before finally nodding with a tired sigh.

\- What do I have to do?

\- Help me with his transfusion and distract the coppers when I get him out of here. Go to the morgue before nightfall and put those three in beds. When they wake up…

\- Wake up? – She asked, still looking like she wasn’t believing that.

\- Yes. When they wake up, you tell them… - I thought for a moment. What could anyone possibly tell them? – Alright, sit down. I have to explain you a few things.

When I looked back at Stacie she was still staring at me as if I was mental. My annoyance got considerably stronger with that, especially when she said:

\- You need help, Vaughn. Psychiatric help. I can refer you to one of the hospital’s doctors…

\- No, they need help! – I shouted, not having the patience for that kind of bollocks. She was still there bugging me. If she thought I was crazy, why didn’t she just leave? – Look around you. You’ve started suspecting it. You saw me the other day. You’re the one who bloody called me here. Now, are you helping me or not?

She watched me for a long time, probably worried that I was going to attack her. Or considering what I’d just spoke. Until she nodded and I gave a relieved sigh.

\- Good. Now let me start from the beginning…


	6. 6

\- So you’re of a different species? – Stacie asked, looking like she wasn’t believing word I was saying. I shrugged.  
\- The most accepted theory right now is that we’re a different kind of human. Just like there are different kinds of felines , humans have different kinds too.   
\- So you lot don’t know your own origin? – She raised an eyebrow.  
\- Neither do you. - I said and that seemed to be fair enough for her.  
\- So how does the transformation happen? In biological terms.  
\- The transfusion. – I started explaining. – Like I’ve told you, vampirism isn’t exactly a virus. It’s like a parasite that alters your behaviour, or an addiction. Like, one the heroin gets in your system, it’s forever.  
\- Not really. – She told me and I rolled my eyes.  
\- Either way, you’re completely drained at the moment of the transformation. And then you receive the vampire blood, that for some reason has addictive properties. You get hooked on blood.  
\- That makes no sense, how does your body work?  
\- At the time of our death, all the blood is replaced by vampiric blood, that much like a disease or virus or something takes over our body and makes the necessary changes so that body will get addicted to blood. That’s why when we get clean for too long our bodies get debilitated up to the point where we go into a coma and die.  
\- Still makes no sense. – She told me. – I thought vampires were like living dead or something.  
\- Well, not in the way you know it. Our hearts still beat, but way slower than normal ones. It’s like we’re trapped forever in in that moment when we were almost dead.  
\- And the immortality?  
\- The most accepted theory is that this was how the vampiric agent modified our bodies. So we’ll get hooked forever and maximize the chances of further contagion. Without any blood for… I dunno, two months, the vampire goes into a coma and dies. With the blood, he or she lives forever. What option would you prefer?  
\- What about the stakes and crosses and all that rubbish? – She crossed her arms over her chest.  
\- If you get staked in the heart, that will probably kill you too, right? And as for the religious symbols, there are still theories. But what we know is that if a normal person, who has no real faith, starts flashing a cross at us, nothing will happen. But if a person with true faith does that, we’re slightly repelled. But let me tell you, honest, true and brutal faith is quite rare these days.  
Stacie stared at me and shook her head, which pissed me off even more. We were out of time and she wanted to contest everything I said.   
\- It makes no sense.  
\- We think it’s the energetic field or something. The same way a normal person gets repelled by a nazi swastika. I think that I our case is because back in the old days the overly religious folk used to burn us on the crosses and that sort of thing, so the psychosomatic trauma happened. But it’s as rare as a true miracle for you lot.  
She nodded slowly, still looking like she thought I was mad. I hoped I’d explained everything right.  
\- What about the thing about how you can’t go into people’s houses without being invited first and can’t walk out when the sun’s out?  
I just shrugged.  
\- It’s a general rule and no one knows why that happens. Theories say it’s because we don’t have souls. As for the sun, it’s simple. With the mutation we acquired an allergy to ultraviolet light, but it’s not strong enough to make a vampire explode when he’s out in the sunlight.  
\- What does the soul have to do with you having to be invited to go into places? – She asked as she arched an eyebrow in disbelief.  
\- I dunno. But it’s impossible.  
There was a pause until she started speaking again, looking at me almost like she was frightened as she whispered:  
\- And do you?  
\- Do I what?  
\- Do you lot have souls?  
\- I dunno. Do I have a soul? – I chuckled, shrugging. – They say the soul is the spirit, our consciousness, our mind. I can talk and listen, I can see and think. I have a conscious, even too much at times. Would you say that a coma patient is soulless?  
\- No. – She sounded slightly baffled.  
\- But they don’t think, don’t act, don’t speak. They might as well be dead, right?  
\- You _know_ that’s not true. – She sighed. – I dunno. You don’t look soulless to me.  
\- Cheers. – I smiled, chuckling before I looked at my watch again. – It’s almost time. Go to the morgue and try to explain to them what I’ve just told you. I’ll stay here with him.  
No vampire should ever wake up from their transformation alone. All of that was too traumatizing, someone needs to be there to explain them what just happened. Stacie nodded and got up quickly, before looking at the vampire and then back at me.  
\- You’re not going to kill him, right? – She asked and I had to chuckle. If I had to I would.  
\- Of course not. - I grinned at her. – I’m a nurse.  
  


* * *

 

After Stacie left the room I still had a few minutes before the vampire in front of me woke up. I would punish him, make him pay for all the laws he’d broken over the past hours.  
I felt like it was my responsibility to make justice. That was my area, my life, and that fucker thought he’d get away just because there’s no king in charge. And I stopped to think of something I hadn’t thought before: how was the Court dealing with everything, with no official ruler and at the brink of an invasion from a rival court? Obviously the more stupid ones were using the chaos to do whatever the hell they wanted. But I couldn’t let that happen.  
I had to restore the peace and order in London. It was my duty, it was what I’d been trained to do for forty years. It was _my_ responsibility. And deny it would go completely against the basic principle I’ve been living for so far: helping people


	7. 7

_3 rd person _

 

Stacie went down the stairs to the hospital morgue wondering if she’d finally gone crazy for good. Her parents had warned that would happen when she had announced she’d be a doctor. Not that they were referring to watch out for three corpses who’d rise again, of course. She was stunned, to say the least. She’d seen Vaughn, the fangs, the bodies, and all the signs told her that the nurse was being serious. However, something inside her, the part that still desperately clung to normalcy and reason, hoped all that would be over the next day.

In her mind she went through what she’d tell the… _vampires_ when they woke up: ‘ _Don’t worry, you’re not dead. But you’re a fable now’._

Still bothered by the sheer ridiculousness of what she was about to do, she opened the first drawer and looked at the inert body of the girl she’d seen living just a few hours ago. Stacie had done all she could to save her, but it’d been for nothing. Now she was lying there, her skin resembling white marble. Stacie moved to open the next drawer, where the body of one of the men was. This one appeared to be in his thirties, starting to go bald. She could see the bite mark on his neck, the red contrasting against the pale skin. She sighed, shaking her head. That was so wrong. Finally, she opened the third and final drawer, where the body of the second man was. This one was slightly younger than the other one, but not much. She wondered why Vaughn hated the others so much, because the whole thing with being immortal and never getting sick seemed like a pretty good deal.

She checked her watch and sighed. It was sunset time already and nothing had happened so far. Great. Now she pictured Vaughn laughing his ass off at how dumb Stacie had been, falling right into his vampire story. She was thinking of going back upstairs to set things right with him when the first of the bodies suddenly sat up. She screamed, as he filled his lungs with air.

It was the younger one, who was looking around in confusion until he spotted the terrified doctor.

“I, I…” she stuttered, trying to remember what was it that she had to tell him, but couldn’t. “You’re a vampire now.” Then the girl woke up while Stacie tried to explain, which startled her, followed by the older man. “You lot are vampires.” She said it again, a bit more confident this time, though they were hardly paying attention to her. “And…you can survive without drinking blood, because you’re addicts. And…you can go out during day time….” She stopped when the girl looked at her and moved too quickly for human eyes to follow.

The only thing Stacie felt were the vampire’s hands on her throat as she knocked the doctor down to the floor, her fangs showing.

“We’re hungry,” the eldest spoke as he walked slowly to the two of them, his fangs also showing.

Stacie didn’t have to think too hard to figure out she’d be their breakfast. Well, technically they were like children, not yet able to control their new way of being. Maybe if she ran she’d find something to use to defend herself. But any escape plan she could possibly have disappeared when the girl tightened her hand around her neck. It was impossible to escape. She was outnumbered and they were fast.

The girl was the first to bite her. Stacie screamed and tried to push her away, clawing and kicking any part of the other’s body she could reach. Then the other side of her neck was attacked by the younger looking vampire, and she felt she wouldn’t stay conscious for much longer whilst she was drained.

 

* * *

 

Vaughn waited until the blood transfusion made the vampire who was lying on the bed strong enough to wake up but still too weak to try anything stupid, like attacking him. It didn’t take too much time for that, after all he’d only been shot a few times and the nightfall helped. Slowly, the man began regaining consciousness and Vaughn smiled.

Without telling Stacie, he’d restrained the man to the bed. It wasn’t hard. Neither was getting surgical tools like scissors, clamps, drills, hammers, hooks, retractors, scalpels and clamps. There were a few saws too, but Vaughn hoped he wouldn’t need them so soon.

The vampire woke up and realised that was restrained, before uselessly trying to set himself free.

“I wouldn’t try that if I were you,” Vaughn advised as he took the pliers and walked closer to the bed.

The vampire looked at him, his expression a mix between worry and challenge. Vaughn merely stopped the blood transfusion. “What, you’re the King now?” the vampire sneered. “And the Court accepted you?”

Vaughn rolled his eyes, sighing at the other man’s stupidity.

“No. I’m just me. But I can’t let you walk around turning people in my area and get away with it.”

“ _Your_ area?” The man laughed, though he kept his eyes on the pliers in Vaughn’s hand. “You sound like a King already.”

“I don’t know you,” the nurse said, intrigued. “Are you sure you’re part of the Court?”

The restrained vampire laughed, before coughing. “I’m the baron of Nothenden, Edward Sharpe.”

In that moment Vaughn started putting two and two together, and he didn’t like the result. “You’re from the Essex Court,” he frowned. “You’re with Romulus Cole.”

“Took you long enough to figure out, little Prince,” Edward laughed in spite.

“So you lot are responsible for the attacks,” Vaughn realised, as his head started to swim.

“Not all of us,” the other coughed some more. “Some of them were made by _your_ people.”

“They’re not ‘my people’,” Vaughn said, frustrated. He hated being linked to the other ones. “What the hell are you doing, attacking people here in London?”

The vampire stayed silent as he looked at him.

With a sigh, he stepped closer to Edward, gripping the pliers tightly. Threats and promises weren’t going to make the man talk, he knew that much. He also knew that the vampire didn’t know him enough to predict his next movement. Vaughn smiled and grabbed the vampire’s throat, squeezing as hard as he could. “Show me your fangs! If you don’t, I’ll have to pick other teeth to pull out.”

The vampire yelped and slid out his fangs, as he tried to set himself free from the restraints and breathe at the same time. Vaughn smiled as he wrapped the pliers around the first fang, before starting to pull.

 

* * *

 

 She was going to die. Stacie was going to die because of sodding vampires in the morgue of the hospital where she worked, at twenty five years old, without having anyone to love her and owing money to her ex. She knew that the moment she fell on the floor and saw her own blood streaming over the tiles.

But there was something wrong. Yes, everything was wrong! But other than that, she was lying there, by herself. No one was trying to drink her blood. Were they finished? Was she finally dead?

Well, someone was dying, that much she knew. The sounds were like echoes at first, but now they were louder. People hissing at each other, sounding like angry cats. Maybe the three were fighting over who would finish her off. She could barely keep her eyes open, but felt and heard something being thrown against a wall. They were stronger than she’d thought. Something liquid splattered on her face and she ran her tongue over her lips, tasting blood.

The last thing she felt before passing out was being taken from the floor by two strong arms.

 

* * *

 

 Vaughn had already yanked off both of Edward’s fangs and now poked the unhealed bullet holes with tweezers and hooks. It was when the room door suddenly opened and a dark skinned vampire showed up with a passed out Stacie in his arms.

Vaughn stared at him for a moment, shocked, before the vampire ordered: “Get this idiot out of there! She needs a blood transfusion now!”


	8. 8

“Your Majesty, I ask permission to speak freely.”

I closed my eyes for a moment, hoping this would free me from the headache and failing monumentally. I had to face the torment. “Don’t call me that. No one’s crowned me and if I’m lucky, no one will so soon.”

Nathaniel lifted his head in reverence and looked at me, nodding slightly. And then he put past all formality and started shouting at me. “What were you thinking, putting a human who’s just found out about us yesterday, near freshly created vampires?! Have you learned nothing from what your father’s taught you?! _I_ had to get rid of the vampires in the morgue, you should have had them killed!”

The vampire, though he was yelling in front of me, was usually quite aloof. He had dark skin, huge sapphire coloured eyes, shoulder length straight hair that had the colour of a cloudy sky and a stubble. This was Nathaniel Devonshire, the most loyal Knight to the deceased King Blake. And at the moment, he thought he was _my_ most loyal Knight.

“Well, I wasn’t thinking clearly. I was out of time and she was the only person I had who could help me.” I tried to defend my point, feeling a bit undignified.

“That’s not true! You have your Knights. By the Law, you’re already the King, even without being crowned,” Nathaniel said.

I couldn’t help but to laugh. Law? Who cares about the Law? “No one gives a shit about the Law and the crowning,” I spoke, tiredly. “Those Essex worms are contaminating the streets here, turning people as they please without anyone stopping or punishing them. And the London Court is just as bad! It’s not like any one of them would mourn if I died or abdicated.” When I looked back at Nathaniel, he was smiling. I raised an eyebrow and asked what was so bloody funny.

“You sounded just like your father just now.”

I rolled my eyes and chuckled, humourlessly. “ _Father._ He wasn’t my father. He was a psychotic vampire who killed me just so he could control my life forever and keep a good image in the Court.” I knew that was anger and frustration talking, and that it wasn’t true. At least not entirely.

“Don’t talk about King Blake like this,” Nathaniel instructed.

I sighed, looking at Stacie. She was still unconscious and receiving blood. Some King I was. I hadn’t even considered the possibility that three recently awakened vampires would want to feed from the first thing they laid their eyes on. “Why did you save her?” I asked suddenly, looking back at Nathaniel. “You had no reason for doing what you did. I’m the stupid twat who sent her downstairs.”

“It was a beginner’s mistake and you were nervous,” he shrugged as he spoke normally, not a hint of judgement in his voice. That was new for me. “I noticed you wished her no harm, so I figured you wouldn’t be happy if she died over that.”

I nodded slowly, looking at him. I still thought that whole thing was a trick, though I knew him. He was my father’s – Blake’s – Knight, so I’ve seen him many times when I lived with the Court. I knew him enough to know he was the most loyal person in that entire castle. “She’s going to hate me when she wakes up.” I sighed again.

“Why?” Nathaniel asked and I shrugged.

“She’s obviously going to think I sent her there on purpose.”

“My lord, with all due respect, why do you care? You won’t even be here anymore when she wakes up.”

“What? Of course I am!” I said, surprised. “Why wouldn’t I be here?”

“Well, the throne calls to you. You’ve seen what Cole is doing. You’ve said it yourself, that you wouldn’t allow it. And I doubt you’ll make too much difference by hiding in this hospital.”

He was right. All this time, all of the years I’ve spent running from that bloody throne have been for nothing. Now there was a real threat and I was the only one amongst the vampires who cared enough to want to stop that. Maybe I didn’t care that much about the vampires, but I knew what they were capable of doing to the humans. “Wait, how old are you?” I asked Nate, suddenly remembering the issue.

“Two hundred and sixty, my lord,” he replied promptly.

“You’re older than me,” I noticed, frowning. “You’re more entitled to the throne than I am. If I want to renounce, I can appoint you as my successor. I’m sure you’d do a better job than I would.”

Nate gave me a baffled look, before shaking his head. “No, my lord. I’m just a Knight and I serve to the Vampire King of London. You could only appoint someone who’s in the royal succession line.”

The Court and its endless bureaucracies only let me down. “Aren’t you all tired of living like we’re still in the fifteenth century? Because I am.”

The vampire merely shrugged, like he didn’t care about how obsolete the rules he was following were.

“It’s the rules, I know. The Law,” I grumbled, feeling like shit for being defeated by something immaterial that could tie me like that. “Alright. What do you suggest we do now?”

“We go back to the castle and ­­-”

“See?” I cut him off. “Your plan’s failed before it even began. I’m banished from the Castle and the Court.”

“I seriously doubt that,” Nathaniel said, raising an eyebrow.

I looked at him for some time, trying to make him give up the stubbornness. In the end, I had to admit defeat. Blake had forgiven me about fifteen years ago, before he started his campaign to bring me back. I had tried to ignore that fact, but it was impossible. The truth was that _I_ didn’t want to go back to that place. “Okay,” I had to concede, while still trying to find a way to not get sucked back into the world I wanted to be no part of. “But I’m going with her. It’s too risky to leave her here alone. If you’ve been watching me then Cole’s people have probably been doing the same thing.”

Nathaniel nodded, looking at Stacie. “It’s going to take some time until she’s fully healed,” he pointed out.

I looked back at Stacie and then at Nathaniel, before shaking my head. I could see it in his eyes, the idea formed, and it was impossible. “No,” I told him firmly.

“My Lord, we don’t have a lot of time. It’s the only way.”

“I’m not doing it, no way,” I repeated, shaking my head.

“The vampire blood isn’t only good for making new vampires. In small doses it help the healing too, you know that.”

I quickly tried to think of the consequences. Stacie would have my memories, she’d be linked to me. I liked her, but that was way too much intimacy for me. But if I left her at other people’s mercy, the situation could get even worse.

Every vampire knew that the vampire blood could be used to heal humans faster, but that had a hiccup: for a somewhat short amount of time the human who received the blood would regain some of the vampire’s memories and feelings. It didn’t last for long, it was usually a week at most, but that could create some awkward moments between the two. And I had some memories that no one else should see, that revealed too many secrets.

“I know you have no wish to be King,” Nathaniel spoke, whilst I decided what to do. “But the situation needs someone who makes decisions. We don’t exactly need a King right now, but a leader. And that leader is you.”

I knew full well that he was only saying what I wanted to hear. Still, he wasn’t entirely wrong. All this time I’ve been looking for ways of doing the right thing, of helping people. And now the opportunity was there, slapping me. I might’ve not fit in their idea of a leader exactly, but that position gave me the opportunity to act according to what I thought was best. “Alright,” I decided, raising one of my sleeves. “How much blood will she need to heal and go with us?” 


	9. 9

I didn’t want to do that, at all. I had never let anyone drink my blood before, over the obvious risks. Besides, Stacie would hate me even more.

However, I’d be saving a life, and figured that would be a valid point against her future rage.

“When you’ve stablished the connection, she’ll feel what you feel and will understand your present actions,” Nathaniel tried to assure as he watched me.

I sighed and looked at him as I sat on a chair. “Yea, thanks, Yoda.” I rolled my eyes, not feeling reassured at all. I knew he was impatient over the little time we still had left, but in no moment did he rush me. That was concrete proof of his loyalty. He barely knew me, but because I was the heir he trusted my actions and decisions. At least most of them, throughout our short relationship. I turned my attention to the blood bag that now contained my blood, hanging from a post next to Stacie’s bed and with a tube connected to her arm. Nathaniel had helped me take the necessary amount of blood to make her still wake up as a human. Now, after the blood transfusion started, we were waiting for her to wake up so we could get out of there.

“What do I do with the offending vampire?” Nathaniel questioned.

I pondered for a moment, though I’d known all along what is was that I wanted to do with him.

“We’ll take him with us,” I said. “I want to kill him personally.”

Nathaniel looked at me for a moment, before agreeing silently.

 

***

 

Stacie woke up at eight in the night, after having been unconscious for the past two hours. My blood had worked faster than I’d anticipated, which was good. Nathaniel told me he had a car waiting outside, ready for the three of us. Or four, as the case was.

I rushed to sit at her side when I saw her waking up, meaning to show her everything was okay and that I hadn’t fooled her. Maybe that was hypocritical of me, but I wanted to stay in touch with that side of me, the side that cared about people.

Stacie opened her eyes slowly and looked at me for a moment. I tried giving a comforting smile, hoping that she’d understand everything and forgive me.

Instead, she chose to ignore me and turn to the opposite side. I must say that was rather disappointing.

“Uh, Stacie?” I asked, unsure.

“What?” She did not sound happy.

“How…are you feeling?”

“How do you think I’m feeling?”

I had to think for a moment before I replied. “I…dunno. That’s why I asked.”

She turned back to me and I could almost feel the anger resonating from her body as she said, “I was attacked! You sent me down there and I nearly died because I fell for what you said!”

“I realise it was a rather misguided decision…”

“ _Misguided_?” she cut me off. “That was one of the most idiotic things you’ve ever done! It was even worse than killing those twins in 85!”

“I…what?” I asked, while my brain processed her words.

Stacie also looked confused after she said that, and looked at me. “What did I just say? How did I know that?”

How do you tell someone they have vampire blood running through their veins and had to suffer some perks over it? I decided to do it the easy way.

“You have vampire blood running through your veins.” Nathaniel beat me to it.

“Ah. That’s one way to do it,” I murmured, having forgotten about his presence there.

Stacie looked at him and then at me, before making all the questions she could. “ _Your_ blood? Why? And who is he?”

“You’ve lost a lot of blood and we needed you to wake up soon. I did a transfusion with my blood so you’d get better faster. So…you’ll have some of my memories for a while. And this is Nathaniel Devonshire, he’s a….Knight. From the Court.”

She looked like she didn’t know if she should laugh or cry from disbelief. I sighed; I really hated having to drag her into all that, but it’d been necessary.

“My lord, now that she’s awoken, we must go,” Nathaniel said and I bit my bottom lip, still looking at her.

“Stacie, you have to come with us. It’s for your own good.”

“Absolutely not!” She shook her head. “I’m going to get out of here, go back to my flat, have a nice cuppa and forget all of this.”

The panic overtook me, since I knew that leaving her was not an alternative. And when that happens, we do stupid things. So I took the closest sedative available, filled a syringe with enough of it so it wouldn’t kill her and injected it to the tube that was still connected to her vein.

“What are you doing?” she shrieked, but I was faster. “Vaughn, don’t you dare…”

Her protests were turned into a peaceful snore and I turned back to Nathaniel, who were looking at me with a raised eyebrow and a funny expression as he said, “Your methods are as subtle as a breeze, my Lord.”

I rolled my eyes at the sarcasm. Just what I needed: a Knight with an attitude. “Oh, yes. I have everything that’s necessary to become a great King. Now, help me take her and that tosser to the car without anyone seeing.”

“I can take one of them at the blink of an eye, but you need to feed if you wish to do the same.”

“I’ve already eaten today,” I said and Nathaniel rolled his eyes.

“I meant feed from _blood.”_

I stopped for a moment, looking at him and wondering if he was being serious or not. But I knew that Nathaniel always meant what he said.

“I can’t,” I spoke quickly. “I’ve been clean for weeks, and even so…”

“Sir, with all due respect, it’s time for you to drink blood again,” he explained patiently, as if he was telling a child about the importance of eating veggies.

And, as much as I wanted to go against the reality, he was right: I did feel slightly weak, with all that recent fuss and the blood I’d just given Stacie. But if I drank at that moment I didn’t know what could happen. Besides, I had no means of getting blood without us being noticed by the hospital staff. We still had to deal with the vampires Nate killed in the morgue and we didn’t have much time. I shook my head, finding no solutions. “Not now,” I insisted. “When we get to the Castle. Don’t you have anyone else in the area that can help?”

Nathaniel sighed and took his phone, sending a text and giving me a disapproving look that I merely raised an eyebrow at. “Help will be here soon,” he informed and I nodded.

I just didn’t know that ‘soon’ meant ten seconds. That was the time it took between Nate sending the text and a female vampire appear at the door.

Circe DuPompadour had a stuck up vibe for a Royal Assassin. Her grey eyes were always narrowed and her ivory coloured hair was straight and thick, going down to her shoulders though she wore it in a tight bun. She was fit and her white skin was pale, which was common for vampires. Looking down I noticed her feet were a bit too big, but didn’t stop her from letting off an impressive figure, in her black leather uniform. That was a bit of cliché, but vampires liked being cliché, especially the ones who are in the Royal Guard.

Even with that superior vibe to her, she looked at me and bowed a little, which made me shake my head. I hated all that pomp and circumstance that I didn’t even deserve. “Can you lot stop bowing at me?” I asked, annoyed.

“Gladly,” Circe spoke with a smirk, before looking back at Nathaniel.

It was clear that she had no genuine respect for me, but who she really admired was the grey haired vampire before us. So, in that ability and efficiency of people who are used to working as a team, they began talking.

“What’s the status?”

“A human and a vampire, both unconscious. We have to take them to the car without the humans noticing. He’s in the next room. And there are three dead vampires in the morgue that need to be incinerated. I’m taking the human to the Castle.” Circe nodded and was about to leave when Nate stopped her, saying, “Don’t kill him. The King wants to do it himself.”

I sighed when he said that, about to say I was no King, but stopped. I must say that the look Circe gave me before she left the room was one of pure lack of faith, almost contempt. It was enough to make me feel slightly offended and small before her. That gave me some perspective. The vampires saw me as an intruder in the Court, just one of the many eccentricities and whims of the late King Blake. I was doing them and myself a favour by staying away. Blokes like Nathaniel, they’re the ones who deserved a lot more than what they got.

“Sir, are you ready to go?”

His voice took me from my musings. He had Stacie in his arms like she weighted nothing, just waiting for my order.

“Call me Vaughn,” I asked as the weariness overtook me. “I deserve no title.”

Nathaniel remained silent, before going back to the car in a speed that was too fast for human eyes to notice. I just tried to follow him. Not as fast, but enough to not be seen while I tried not to imagine what was waiting for me in the Castle.


	10. 10

It didn’t take long for us to get to the castle, but we still had to take turns behind the wheel. One drove while the other slept and the other watched our prisoner. In fact, I didn’t even know why we were taking him anymore. Sure, I was furious at him over the attack, but I wasn’t in a killer mood anymore. However, Nathaniel gave me the perspective I needed so I could reconsider.

“He broke the rules. Not only did he attack in public but he also turned humans without the approval needed, and he did all that while on enemy soil. You have every right to gut him, Vaughn.”

I agreed, sighing. Again with the old rules. Not that I considered them in the same way he did. But I resorted in thinking they must be efficient, since they’ve been followed for about a thousand years. The rulers made sure they were followed, whatever it took. The ones who couldn’t do that were quickly replaced. It was a way to regulate those who could live for so long, discarding the ones who could cause chaos with the balance we had in living amongst humans. “I don’t want to be king,” I told Nathaniel quietly, while he drove and Circe slept. “I never wanted to be a part of this. I fled just so I wouldn’t have to do any of this.”

And then he looked at me and laughed, before saying, “You think you’re better than the rest of us because you don’t like drinking blood? Just because you’re proud of living like a human, you want to be the good vampire who doesn’t like hurting people? Well, think again. Who’s better: a vampire who kills so he can live or -”

“We don’t kill so we can live, you know that! Most of the killing is for fun.”

“….Or the human who kills for his own wishes?”

“Right, because vampires never do that.” The sarcasm was dripping from every word as I said that.

“I’m not saying we’re Saints. I’m merely trying to show you that being human doesn’t mean being better than a vampire. And stealing blood once a month doesn’t make you more human, it just makes you pathetic.”

I looked at him as those words hit me like punches, though I didn’t want to admit he was right. “I just want to help people,” I sighed finally, tired and defeated.

“Why? Do you feel bad for the things you did when you were young? Do you think that by saving a life you’ll be annulling a life you took?” I was taken aback by the question. “Well, I have news for you: it doesn’t work! If you truly want to help someone, control the vampires and be a good ruler.”

“What if that’s not my destiny?”

“Well, you won’t know it unless you try. Besides, you have eternity to find out if you’re what we need or not.”

“Bollocks. What they…we need is someone like you, Nate. I’m just…me. I just want to live my life without any major problems.”

“We’re vampires, kid.”

I frowned. For how long has he been wanting to call me that?

“The concept of a normal life doesn’t exist for us,” he pointed out.

I just sighed and crossed my arms, leaning against the car window as I watched the world outside.

 

***

 

It wasn’t pleasant, realising how much the castle was still familiar to me. As me and Nathaniel carried Stacie and the vampire inside, I saw the huge main staircase that led to the other floors. It seemed nothing had changed, except for a few more modern touches in the décor, here and there.

The walls were covered by a luxurious red fabric, and ornamented with several paintings of historical vampires and rulers. Blake was in one of them, looking at me disapprovingly. The floor was of black and white marble with a few details in gold, and there were statues spread through-out the main hall. After the hall, there was a long hallway that led to the other rooms, like the bathrooms and the smaller halls. Anyway, exactly like it’d been seventy years ago.

Stacie, who was awake by then, looked at everything with awe and maybe even admiration. At least that’s what it looked like. Her eyes paid attention to every detail in the main hall, to every vampire who walked by us, not knowing what was happening.

And speaking of the inhabitants, the courtiers seemed rather surprised in seeing us there, mainly a human and a vampire from Essex. Maybe there was a mix of admiration and even offence, but there was no denying that that had been unexpected for them.

It didn’t take long until one of the older Courtiers, Charles Demerick, came to greet us with a reverence. “Your Majesty! Though your arrival wasn’t previously informed, it’s my duty to welcome you and express our happiness for having a new King.”

Everyone there bowed and I couldn’t hide my distaste at that, feeling mortified. But I knew that if I didn’t show the necessary strength while I was there, I wouldn’t be able to set my plans into action. And the only way to that was by stalling and avoiding being crowned, without showing I didn’t mean to be King. So I smiled and greeted them, like a ruler ought to do. “Well, I’m noKking yet. And I won’t be until I can prove my worth here in the Court, which I will do by killing Romulus Cole!” I made that small speech to the small audience, who then applauded me. I realised I was good at that, and decided to keep going, to make it clear. “For now, I have no shame in saying I’m merely the Prince Heir.”

I could feel the phoniness emanating from most of them. I knew they considered me a traitor to the race. However, if I was lucky, I’d even be able to get out of all that as the prodigal son.

“My lord, what do we do with them?” one of them asked me, pointing at Stacie and Edward.

I saw the doctor was looking at me with a raised eyebrow, probably wondering what it was that I was doing. “Miss Circe DuPompadour can show Miss Collins her room. Find her a room,” I asked Circe.

She nodded and went up the stairs with Stacie. When they were far enough I turned back to Nathaniel, who was still holding the Essex vampire. “Put him downstairs. I’ll deal with him later.”

Nathaniel bowed a little and began going down the stairs with the unconscious vampire, while another vampire handed me a glass of blood with a smile. I smiled back, taking the glass and asking, “And who would you be?”

“Violet Barlow,” she was still smiling at me.

I vaguely recognised her. She was one of the chaperones to the last Queen Consort. They were untouchable, even for me back then. She had stuck up vibe to her, chocolate coloured eyes and straight brown hair, which she wore in a bun. She had an elegant stance and a forehead that was a bit too big, and a small nose.

The last thing I noticed was her brown dress, which wasn’t modern but had a modern feel to it. In fact, the entire Castle had a wardrobe inspired in the 18th century, it seemed. As for me, I still preferred my jeans and t-shirts.

I noticed I was still holding the glass of blood and they were all looking at me expectantly, Violet included. So I realised there was no turning back from that moment, I had no choice since I’d accepted the glass so freely. What was left for me to do was empty the glass at once, which made the others applaud. I just closed my eyes as I felt the blood recharging me.

I never got used to that feeling. It was like being high in the clouds. My sight, hearing, smell, everything was better. I felt stronger and more powerful, like anything was possible for me. And then I opened my eyes and saw Violet and her smile, she looked even more excited. I smiled back.

“Can I accompany you to your royal chambers, my Lord?” she asked, looking delighted.

I nodded, offering an arm. She took it and we went up the staircase up to the last floor, on our way to what was now my…royal chambers.


End file.
